DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMANCE OF LOW-FIELD MRI IN ACUTE KNEE INJURIES

The diagnostic performance of low field (0.1 T) magnetic resonance ima ging (MRI) was studied prospectively and double-blindly among 33 patie nts with acute knee injuries. The subsequent arthroscopy was the golde n standard. For lesions of the medial meniscus low field MR had a sens itivity of 88% and a specificity of 80%; for lesions of the lateral me niscus the sensitivity was 25% and the specificity 97%. For anterior c ruciate ligament tears, low field MRI had a sensitivity of 83% and a s pecificity of 85%. The specificity for posterior cruciate ligament tea rs was 97%. The performance of low field MRI equalled that reported ea rlier for high field MRI, the only exception being the sensitivity for lateral meniscus lesions.